Car-seal.



' Patented Nov. 27, I900. T. WHITE.

C A R S E A L (Application filed Sept. 28, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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THOMAS \VI-IITE, OF OGDEN, UTAH, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES RUSSELL, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,615, dated November 27, 1900.

Application filed September 28. 1900. Serial No. 31,409. (No model.)

To (all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ogden, in the county of Weber and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Oar-Sea-l, of which the following is specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-seals.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car-seals and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one capable of automatically locking itself when the parts are placed in position.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the seal, showing the parts before the overlapping flaps are folded. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the seal being locked. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 4 is a tranverse sectional view.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a strip of sheet metal or other suitable material provided at one end with an enlarged portion having side flaps 2 and 3, adapted to be folded over each other to form a casing to receive the other end 4 of the resilient or flexible strip 1, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. The side flap 3, which is folded over the flap 2, is providedat its outerend with a flange 5, arranged at right angles to the plane of the flap 3 and forming the outer end of the casing. The inner end of the casing is open to permit the introduction of the end 4 of the flexible strip 1, and the said end 4, which is provided with an eye 6, is automatically locked when it is inserted in the casing by means of a spring 7 and a resilient lip 8. The spring 7, which is disposed longitudinally of the casing, is secured at one end to the inner face of the flap 2 by a suitable fastening device, and it extends along the casing at an angle to the flap 2, its free end being disposed toward the back or rear end of the casing.

The segmental lip 8, which is resilient, is located adjacent to the free end of the spring,and it is preferably formed by a pair of curvedslots 9 and 10; but the rear slot 9 may be omitted, if desired. The severed portions of the metal are bowed from the flap 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, and when the end 4 of the strip 1 is introduced into the casing it passes rearward between the spring and the body portion 11 until the eye 6 passes the free end of the spring. The

segmental lips diverge from the flap 2,and the free end of the spring is deflected by one of the lips and terminates short of the curved edge of the rear lip. The end 4 of the strip 1 is then drawn outward, which movement causes the spring to engage the eye, and the end portion of the strip is brought between the spring and the flap 2 in advance of the lip 8, which looks the strip in the position shown in Fig. The lip has sufficient resiliency to permit the end of the strip to pass it; but it effectually prevents the strip from being again forced inward or rearward.

It will be seen that the car-seal is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is readily locked, and that after the free end of the flexible strip is inserted in the casing it cannot be withdrawn Without breaking seal the and indicating such fact. It will also be apparent that a tool or instrument cannot be introduced into the casing from the open end thereof for manipulating the lip and the spring to release the metallic strip, and that as the casing is designed to be soldered or similarly fastened any such attempt will break it open and readily disclose the fact.

What I claim is- 1. A car-seal comprising a strip provided at one end with an eye, the casing arranged at the other end of the strip and composed of the flap 2 formed integral with the strip and folded inward over the same and provided with a resilient lip extending toward the inner end of the casing, and the flap 3 formed integral with the strip and folded over the flap 2 and provided at its outer end with the flange 5 closing the outer end of the easing, and the spring secured to the flap 2 in advance of the segmental lip and having its rear end free and deflected by the lip and extending beyond the same, substantially as described.

2. Acar-seal comprising a flexible strip provided at one end with an eye, the casing arranged at the otherend of the strip and having its inner end open and composed of the flap 2 arranged at one side of the strip and formed integral therewith and provided with the semicircular cuts spaced apart at their adjacent ends and forming a pair of forwardly and rearwardly extending lips diverging from the flap 2 toward the opposite wall of the easing, the flap 3 arranged at the opposite side of the strip and formed integral with the same and folded inward over the flap 2 and provided at its outer end with the flange 5 closing the outer end of the casing, and the spring secured at one end to the flap 2 at a point between the lips and the inner end of the casing and having its rear end free and 20 deflected by one of the lips and terminating short of the other lip, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto affiXed my signature 25 in the presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS WHITE. Witnesses:

E. M. CONNELL, W. S. CONNELL. 

